Dress Right for Cold Weather Fun

I grew up in the northwest and did cold weather training in Wisconsin, but you don’t have to enlist in the Marine Corps to have fun in the sun when the world is a beautiful, blazing white covered with snow and ice. The secret is to understand that water + wind = extraordinary cooling.

Understand the different kinds of fabric, specifically the difference between natural and synthetic. Polypropylene and fleece are made from tiny plastic threads. This means while the water can get trapped between threads, the actually base element of the clothing cannot absorb water. As such, there’s no need to put a fleece jacket or pants or polypro long johns in the dryer. Just hang them over a chair and they’ll be dry within a half hour. They’ll dry even faster on your body since your body heat will help the water evaporate.

Avoid cotton and wool in the winter because the threads can trap and keep moisture for hours, even days. This moisture will rapidly cool your body. Put a moisture wicking layer against your body, like polypro. Depending on the chill factor, add a layer of fleece. Always interlock the layers. Tuck the polypro top into the polypro long johns, pull the fleece pants over the polypro top, etc.

Finally, add a wind stopper to the top. It can be Gortex, but basic near plastic windstopper will work. Be sure to layer feet, hands and head with moisture wicking and windstopping layers.

Also, see the book Mountaineering, Freedom of the Hills for indepth discussion on staying warm, happy and having fun in the wilderness. Enjoy!